Evidence
by DixieH
Summary: Eames loses track of something that didn't belong to her in the first place. Eames & Goren Friendship.


A/N This should fit anywhere after Suite-Sorrow. - Dix

**Evidence**

When the door swung open after he knocked, he was momentarily confused.

"Eames?" He managed finally sweeping a hand across the back of his neck. The woman who had opened the door was taller than Alex with shoulder length strawberry blonde hair. She was dressed in a crisp shirt and dress pants, although her feet were bare. He could tell by what he could see of the layout and furnishings that he hadn't knocked on the wrong door. This was definitely Alex's place.

"She'll be back in a few minutes. Come in."

He stepped inside. "I'm Robert Goren, Bobby." he said.

She gave the door a push and it shut with a click.

"Amy Dutton." She put out her hand and they shook briefly. "Do you want a cup of coffee while you wait?" She went to the coffee maker and refilled a cup on the counter.

"No," he said. "You're Joe's sister?"

She looked at him and nodded. "Did you know my brother?"

"Only what Eames told me. "

She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm a lot younger. I was jealous when Alex took him away from me." She laughed and smiled at the memory. "But I got over it and now I have a sister. Sure, you don't want a cup?" She said.

"You really shouldn't let anyone you don't know into the apartment." He said suddenly, feeling ill at ease with a woman he didn't really know.

"Alex told me you were coming." She leaned back against the counter, eyeing him over the mug cupped between her hands.

He nodded. "But still," he said, "You don't know me."

Amy laughed. "Your picture's on the fridge," she said pointing to the collage of lists, clippings, and photos that littered the fridge door. "You must be ok."

He leaned in and tilted his head. There it was. The Polaroid photo he'd taken of the two of them. He'd slipped it into his binder and never seen it again. He'd presumed it was lost.

Instead of feeling irritated to find it here, it gave him a little jolt of joy. It pleased him to see it beside the baby pictures and mementos. All the things she didn't seem to notice, the little things he did; they didn't escape her attention after all. He wondered briefly, why she took it without saying anything. Bobby looked back at Amy. "I am." He said.

The door opened then and Alex came through it. Bobby straightened and feigned a casual pose.

"Hey." she said to Bobby and Amy. "I had to run down and pay the rent. It took a few more minutes than I thought. "She set the receipt on the counter. "Ready to go, Bobby?" She said looking at him. Goren nodded. Amy moved past him towards Alex.

"Have a good day." Amy said to them both, one hand on the open door and the other around her mug. She smiled. Alex lifted her hand in a wave from the hall. Bobby turned slightly and slid the photograph from under the magnet. He slipped it into his jacket pocket and moved towards the door.

"Nice to meet you." he said, glancing at Amy as he followed Eames into the hall. The door closed behind them and he heard the click of the deadbolt as it snapped into place.

In the hallway, he said, "I didn't know you had company."

"I guess you don't know everything after all." She said grinning slightly.

He fingered the edge of the photo in his pocket. "No I guess I don't"

Later ...

Alex traced the bare white patch on the fridge door with her index finger. She'd pulled out the fridge, looked underneath, and wrestled the drawer from the bottom of the stove in a vain attempt to retrieve the missing photograph. She wasn't certain when she'd last seen it. It was just one of those things that was always there. One of those things you never missed until it was gone. Its absence bothered her like a sore tooth she couldn't keep from running her tongue over.

Finally, she picked up the phone. Amy answered on the second ring.

"Alex, what's up?"

"Do you remember seeing a Polaroid photo on my fridge?"

"Sure I saw it."

"Oh," Alex shook her head. "It's not there now."

Amy chucked. "Try under the stove; you'd be surprised what ends up there."

"Already have. When did you see it?"

"Yesterday morning. I pointed it out to your partner, while we were waiting for you."

"You did?" Alex groaned. She gone to a great deal of trouble to discretely separate Bobby from that photo and now he knew she'd taken it.

"Yeah. He was giving me grief about letting a stranger in. I told him he must be ok because you had his picture on your fridge. What's wrong?"

"It's ok. He probably took it."

"Really? He'd take something off your fridge without telling you? That's crazy!"

Alex laughed, "Well it's his photo. So I guess he's entitled."

"Sounds like crazy has rubbed off on you."

"You have no idea." Alex said and they both laughed.

After she got off the phone, she stood in front of the fridge and thought seriously about rearranging the things on the door to fill the gap, but for some reason she rather liked that white square. Every time she went through the kitchen, it reminded her. It reminded her that somewhere between the crime scenes, and the investigations, the interrogations, and the paperwork she'd found a place for herself and not just as a cop.

Later still ...

They were interviewing a witness a few days later. Goren had his binder open and was taking notes. She was thinking about the answer the witness was giving and how to phrase the next question, when she happened to glance at the binder. It was there, where she'd found it in the first place. It was tucked into the clear plastic sleeve at the front. He noticed her glance and gave her a tiny smile. Caught again. She changed her focus back to the witness and tried to concentrate.

Back in the office a couple of hours later they were seated opposite one another reviewing evidence and witness statements. Goren opened and shut all his desk drawers before asking her for a paper clip. He had a raft of documents in one hand. He stretched out his other arm, hand palm up and said. "Paper clip."

Eames gave him a pained expression. This tone of voice was the one that irritated her. It was imperious and demanding and made her feel belligerent and mean spirited. He rarely used it on her, but wasn't above using on witnesses and suspects and lawyers. Instead of replying however, she simply opened the narrow top drawer of her own desk. Right beside the small compartment that held paperclips was a copy of the Polaroid, but not as she'd last seen it on her fridge. This photo was in a small plastic frame. She smiled at the image, then picked it up and flipped it over. Sure enough there was a magnet on the back. She turned it over again and looked at him. Bobby, watching her reaction, gave her a warm smile in return. Then he opened his own desk drawer, took out a clip and slid it over the papers he held in his hand. She slid the frame into her pocket. She knew just where to put it.

Fin

Thanks for reading. I'd appreciate your comments. - Dix.


End file.
